1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling an electric machine or unit by actuating a component of the electric machine or unit using a predicate and by examining the component in regard to the performance of the predicate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In control technology, the predicate is understood to be the functional relationship between several components (generally, subject and object). A drive is switched on using a switch for instance. The switch is the subject here, the drive is the object and the switch-on process is the predicate.
Automation-specific solutions are currently created in most instances by explicit programming of the object to be achieved. The programming of the solution does not, however, constitute the main part of the programming outlay. The tests which are to result in them reacting accordingly in the event of an error and if necessary generating a corresponding error message are even more complicated than the actual solution.
WO 2006/084666 A1 describes a system for checking and evaluating operation-dependent processes and/or components, which includes a robot, which records measured values using at least one sensor on an operating and/or control element of the components to be checked or evaluated. In a central evaluation unit, the measured values are analyzed and evaluated with the aid of defined quality functions.
DE 100 17 708 A1 describes a method for controlling mechanisms or technical systems in which the mechanisms or technical systems to be controlled are stored in a controller, in terms of their elementary functions, with their states defined according to command and the associated signal images of the sensors and actuators. Based on a defined reference state at the start of the control activation, a continuous comparison of the actual states notified by the technical unit by the sensors occurs with the target state stored in the controller for all elementary functions.
WO 2008/090432 A1 discloses an electric device, i.e., a household appliance. For self-diagnosis of the household appliance, the electrical quantities of the components are fed to a control facility when the electrical components are switched on, where the control facility compares these quantities that are stored in a storage facility.
System states and error possibilities have previously been examined explicitly and therefore form part of the automation-specific programming. However, this is disadvantageous in that, on the one hand, the possibility of an error must be identified as such. This service must be provided by the programmer. On the other hand, it is complicated to test these program parts, because the error state has to be simulated or produced to do so.